Running London Marathon tomorrow with Apple Watch - which app?

[Alith]

Spend your money on a real fitness watch like Suunto or Garmin. It will be a better investment for the OP.

I have to disagree on that! I have a Garmin 610 and 620 and since I got the Apple Watch my Garmin has been on rocky ground. In fact this morning I was considering eBay'ing it.

Once native apps turn up with training calendars and interval training (and they will) my Garmin will be history. For £350 you can get a smartwatch that does pretty much everything a £370 Garmin 620 does, apart from having integrated GPS (and some gimmicky run metrics like vertical oscillation and ground impact time). If you run with your phone anyway (most do) the Garmin offers very little.

People talk about sportwatches like they run on magic. They are just watches with GPS, accelerometers and a pretty clunky and outdated UI that rarely gets updated and never changes it functionality. Their days are numbered.

 

[Symtex]

I have to disagree on that! I have a Garmin 610 and 620 and since I got the Apple Watch my Garmin has been on rocky ground. In fact this morning I was considering eBay'ing it.

Once native apps turn up with training calendars and interval training (and they will) my Garmin will be history. For £350 you can get a smartwatch that does pretty much everything a £370 Garmin 620 does, apart from having integrated GPS (and some gimmicky run metrics like vertical oscillation and ground impact time). If you run with your phone anyway (most do) the Garmin offers very little.

People talk about sportwatches like they run on magic. They are just watches with GPS, accelerometers and a pretty clunky and outdated UI that rarely gets updated and never changes it functionality. Their days are numbered.

I think you are missing the point of Fitness watches. It's the back end and how the data is represented and be reviewed after the activity. I do get a lot more details that I can analyses afterward.

 

[Ergates-thi-Ant]

I think you are missing the point of Fitness watches. It's the back end and how the data is represented and be reviewed after the activity. I do get a lot more details that I can analyses afterward.

I'm not sure Garmin would ever have any credibility on user interface with me. Ages ago they used to be the pits. Dunno about now, but I don't even feel like trusting them again.

 

[Alith]

I think you are missing the point of Fitness watches. It's the back end and how the data is represented and be reviewed after the activity. I do get a lot more details that I can analyses afterward.

The number of people that export their Garmin data to 3rd party apps to analyse, or have trainers that need this data, is negligible. I'm sure most Garmin owners just want running metrics on their wrist whilst running. I don't think Garmin will survive selling watches only to the elite crowd when smart watches become commonplace and duplicate almost all their functionality.

That said, I'm sure some people would like to export their Apple Watch Activity data and there doesn't seem to be a way to do this. However you can still use 3rd party apps to run with that allow you to export the data and analyse it.

 

[hingus2000]

I have to disagree on that! I have a Garmin 610 and 620 and since I got the Apple Watch my Garmin has been on rocky ground. In fact this morning I was considering eBay'ing it.



Once native apps turn up with training calendars and interval training (and they will) my Garmin will be history. For £350 you can get a smartwatch that does pretty much everything a £370 Garmin 620 does, apart from having integrated GPS (and some gimmicky run metrics like vertical oscillation and ground impact time). If you run with your phone anyway (most do) the Garmin offers very little.



People talk about sportwatches like they run on magic. They are just watches with GPS, accelerometers and a pretty clunky and outdated UI that rarely gets updated and never changes it functionality. Their days are numbered.

Just looking back at a few of the pictures taken off me on race day. I do look a little bit ridiculous with my iPhone 6 strapped to my arm. I didn't think it would bother me, but I do suddenly see the attraction having a watch that liberates me from the phone.

 

[Alith]

Just looking back at a few of the pictures taken off me on race day. I do look a little bit ridiculous with my iPhone 6 strapped to my arm. I didn't think it would bother me, but I do suddenly see the attraction having a watch that liberates me from the phone.

I know the feeling. I used to have my 5 on my arm but when I got the 6 it just looked ridiculous. I've since been using a belt pouch which has been surprisingly comfy and let's me take a couple of bank cards, Oyster and keys too.

 

[Andy in Embsay]

I'm not sure Garmin would ever have any credibility on user interface with me. Ages ago they used to be the pits. Dunno about now, but I don't even feel like trusting them again.

If you are a serious runner/cyclist/swimmer and only have room for one device then the Fenix 3 knocks the Apple Watch into a cocked hat - 7-10 days battery life, GPS onboard, waterproof to 50m, bang on accuracy, ANT+ sensor connections (HRM, video camera, power meter), navigation (UK grid references etc) AND it does iOS or Android notifications - and it looks good enough to wear every day (in a chunky kind of way)

However as an every day smart watch (and assuming you don't mind two devices) I'd have an AW as well as it enables me to do two way interactions without having to get my phone out - but I won't be selling my Garmin(s!!).

 

[daymouse]

Firstly well done to all those that ran the marathon

Im looking forward to being liberated from my iphone while running and at the gym. Apple watch is sounding ideal if it gives accurate disitance without the need for GPS from the phone. Personally i really dont need to see the route i've taken on a map i just want to see the time taken, distance, average pace and maybe splits.

So i can happily see myself going for a run/gym with just the watch loaded with some music and my bluetooth headphones knowing the watch is getting all the data i need.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Hi all. Promised I'd report back so here I am.

Firstly another great day and race. I ran 3h13, which despite fading from 3h05 pace in the last five miles, is still a PB.

Great race! Thanks for posting the update. My PR is a 3:27:10, so you've got me beat.

Really disappointed to hear your thoughts on the Watch. I've been running with Garmins the past few years, and just took delivery of my Watch yesterday. Will have its inaugural run this morning.

My primary fitness goal for the Watch is having an all day activity tracker so that I can better manage weight and diet, but running is a huge part of that activity. I'd hoped that the Watch would replace the Garmin on my runs and give me maybe 80% of the functionality. That tradeoff would be worth it to me for the other benefits.

Will be running with both the next week or two and seeing how that goes. My next marathon isn't until Chicago in October so I'm hopeful the kinks will be worked out with all the software by then.

 

[Andy in Embsay]

The number of people that export their Garmin data to 3rd party apps to analyse, or have trainers that need this data, is negligible. I'm sure most Garmin owners just want running metrics on their wrist whilst running.

Have you seen the number of people that use Strava?? All my running and cycling mates upload everything they do and compare/analyse it voraciously. Not being able to export to strava (or Garmin Connect etc) is a massive miss for most runners and cyclists - I'm recording on Garmin AND AW!

 

[Alith]

Have you seen the number of people that use Strava?? All my running and cycling mates upload everything they do and compare/analyse it voraciously. Not being able to export to strava (or Garmin Connect etc) is a massive miss for most runners and cyclists - I'm recording on Garmin AND AW!

I still don't think that's most runners. Maybe the tiny minority in run clubs. My only running/cycling friend that actually uses that data to inform her training is an elite who needs to send it to her trainer. All my other mates are happy with Nike leaderboards. I think that when smart watches are commonplace and provide what most people need (especially when they have native apps that do export data) then sport watches will go the way of MP3 players (now everyone has a smartphone), apart from very specialised ultra/triathlon/cycling devices.

 

[Erieg1]

I still don't think that's most runners. Maybe the tiny minority in run clubs. My only running/cycling friend that actually uses that data to inform her training is an elite who needs to send it to her trainer. All my other mates are happy with Nike leaderboards. I think that when smart watches are commonplace and provide what most people need (especially when they have native apps that do export data) then sport watches will go the way of MP3 players (now everyone has a smartphone), apart from very specialised ultra/triathlon/cycling devices.

Do you actually run? I don't belong to a running club but I know a lot of runners and everyone one of them wants data and the Apple Watch provides very little that useful. Sport watches are going nowhere until Apple ups their game.

Honestly, I will keep my Garmin Fenix 3 which has battery that lasts days, lets me swim in pools and open water, dead on accuracy when running and most of all reliable data both via a wonderful website and I can export data.

I will keep the apple watch so I know when to stand. I don't need to export that.

 

[a.y.n]

Marathoner here, waiting for iSmoothRun update with ⌚️ app to drop, best app for running by far. Also exports to Strava, Nike, MMR, RK, everything else.

I also use Polar H7, will see if the built in HRM in watch works better or worse than that.

(had Garmin 620 with HRM Run, was not impressed at all so sold it on Craigslist after a month)